Legal claims defining the scope of protection. Each claim is shown in both the original legal language and a plain English translation.
1. A method comprising: receiving a user identifier for each user of a plurality of users participating in a collaboration session with a shared inking canvas; communicating with a directory service to obtain user information corresponding to each user identifier of the plurality of users; assigning a presence identifier to a grouping of ink strokes in the shared inking canvas received from a particular user of the plurality of users; receiving a new ink stroke to the shared inking canvas from the particular user; determining whether the new ink stroke is within a certain distance from previous ink strokes associated with the presence identifier; when the new ink stroke is not within the certain distance from the previous ink strokes, assigning a new presence identifier the new ink stroke in the shared inking canvas, determining a location in the shared inking canvas for displaying a presence indicator, and displaying the presence indicator at the location; and when the new ink stroke is within the certain distance from the previous ink strokes, changing an existing location for a corresponding presence indicator according to a distance of the new ink stroke from the existing location for the corresponding presence indicator.
This invention relates to collaborative digital inking systems, specifically improving user presence tracking in shared inking canvases. The problem addressed is the lack of clear visual indicators for user activity in collaborative drawing environments, making it difficult to track which user is contributing to which part of the canvas. The method involves tracking multiple users in a shared digital drawing space. For each user, a unique identifier is received, and user information is retrieved from a directory service. As users contribute ink strokes to the shared canvas, the system assigns a presence identifier to groups of strokes from each user. When a new stroke is added, the system checks its proximity to previous strokes with the same presence identifier. If the new stroke is too far from existing strokes, a new presence identifier is assigned, and a visual presence indicator is displayed near the stroke. If the stroke is close to existing strokes, the existing presence indicator is moved to reflect the new stroke's position. This ensures that each user's activity is visually tracked in real-time, improving collaboration by clearly showing where each participant is contributing. The system dynamically updates presence indicators based on stroke proximity, maintaining accurate visual feedback without overwhelming the canvas with excessive markers.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the presence indicator comprises at least one element of the user information for the particular user.
A system and method for user presence detection in a communication network identifies and tracks the online status of users. The method involves monitoring network activity to determine whether a user is actively engaged with a device or service. A presence indicator is generated based on this monitoring, where the indicator includes at least one element of the user's information, such as their username, device ID, or other identifying data. This allows the system to distinguish between different users and accurately reflect their availability status. The presence indicator may be updated in real-time as the user's activity changes, ensuring that other users or services can reliably determine whether the user is available for communication or interaction. The method may also involve storing historical presence data to analyze usage patterns or predict future availability. This technology is particularly useful in applications like instant messaging, collaboration tools, or IoT device management, where knowing a user's presence status is critical for efficient operation. The system ensures that presence information is both accurate and contextually relevant, improving user experience and system efficiency.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the at least one element of the user information for the particular user comprises an image associated with the user identifier for the particular user.
A system and method for managing user information in a digital environment addresses the challenge of efficiently organizing and retrieving user-specific data across multiple platforms. The invention involves storing and processing user information, including identifiers and associated elements, to enhance user recognition and interaction. A key aspect is the inclusion of an image linked to a user identifier, enabling visual identification and improving user experience. The method ensures that user data is accurately associated with the correct identifier, reducing errors in user recognition. The system may also involve generating or retrieving user-specific content based on the stored information, such as personalized recommendations or notifications. By integrating visual elements like images with user identifiers, the invention improves the efficiency and accuracy of user data management, particularly in applications requiring quick and reliable user identification, such as social media, customer service platforms, or access control systems. The solution ensures that user information remains organized and easily retrievable, enhancing both system performance and user satisfaction.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein determining the location in the shared inking canvas for displaying the presence indicator comprises: identifying coordinates within the shared inking canvas that are a predetermined distance from a first ink point of the new ink stroke.
A system for collaborative digital inking allows multiple users to draw simultaneously on a shared canvas, with each user's ink strokes displayed in real-time. A key challenge is ensuring users can track others' actions without visual clutter. The invention addresses this by displaying presence indicators near each user's ink strokes, showing where others are actively drawing. The presence indicator is positioned at a fixed distance from the most recent ink point of a new stroke, ensuring it remains visible and associated with the correct user's activity. The system dynamically updates the indicator's location as the stroke progresses, maintaining spatial relevance. This helps users quickly identify where others are contributing, improving collaboration in shared drawing environments. The method works across networked devices, ensuring synchronization of presence indicators in real-time. The fixed distance rule prevents overlap with the ink stroke itself, avoiding visual interference while keeping the indicator clearly linked to the user's drawing actions. This approach enhances usability in collaborative digital art, design, and annotation tools.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: identifying a group of ink strokes associated with the particular user that satisfy a criterion of the grouping of the ink strokes, the presence identifier being assigned to the group of ink strokes that satisfy the criterion of the grouping of the ink strokes.
This invention relates to digital ink stroke processing, specifically improving the organization and identification of ink strokes created by users in digital environments. The problem addressed is the difficulty in managing and retrieving ink strokes, particularly when multiple users contribute to a shared digital workspace. The invention provides a method to group ink strokes based on user identity and specific criteria, enhancing organization and retrieval. The method involves assigning a presence identifier to ink strokes created by a particular user. This identifier links the strokes to the user, allowing for filtering and categorization. The method further includes identifying a group of ink strokes associated with a user that meet a predefined grouping criterion, such as temporal proximity, spatial clustering, or stylistic similarity. The presence identifier is then assigned to this group, ensuring all related strokes are collectively identified and managed. By grouping ink strokes based on user identity and specific criteria, the invention enables efficient organization, retrieval, and analysis of digital ink data. This is particularly useful in collaborative environments where multiple users contribute to a shared digital canvas, ensuring that strokes from different users remain distinct and retrievable. The method improves workflow efficiency and user experience in digital ink applications.
6. The method of claim 5 , wherein identifying the group of ink strokes associated with the particular user that satisfy the criterion of the grouping of the ink strokes comprises: using an ink analysis to identify letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or drawings from the ink strokes.
This invention relates to digital ink analysis, specifically methods for grouping ink strokes based on user identity and content. The problem addressed is the challenge of accurately associating ink strokes with specific users and organizing them into meaningful units like letters, words, or drawings in digital environments. The method involves analyzing ink strokes to identify patterns that can be grouped by a particular user. This includes distinguishing between different users' handwriting or drawing styles and separating their contributions in a shared digital workspace. The grouping process uses ink analysis techniques to recognize and categorize the strokes into higher-level structures such as letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or drawings. This allows for better organization, retrieval, and processing of digital ink data, particularly in collaborative or multi-user scenarios. The ink analysis may involve machine learning models, pattern recognition, or other computational techniques to interpret the strokes and extract meaningful content. By identifying and grouping strokes by user and content type, the system enables more efficient digital ink management, improving usability in applications like note-taking, collaborative editing, or digital art creation. The method ensures that ink strokes are accurately attributed to their respective users and structured in a way that reflects their intended meaning or purpose.
7. The method of claim 5 , wherein identifying the group of ink strokes associated with the particular user that satisfy the criterion of the grouping of the ink strokes comprises: identifying a bounding box of the group of ink strokes.
The invention relates to digital ink stroke processing, specifically methods for grouping ink strokes associated with a particular user based on spatial proximity. The problem addressed is accurately identifying and grouping ink strokes created by a user in a digital environment, such as a touchscreen or stylus-based system, to distinguish between multiple users or to separate intentional markings from unintentional ones. The method involves analyzing ink strokes to determine which strokes should be grouped together. This is done by identifying a bounding box that encloses a group of ink strokes associated with a particular user. The bounding box is defined by the spatial extent of the strokes, ensuring that all strokes within the box meet a predefined grouping criterion, such as proximity or temporal continuity. The method may also involve filtering or excluding strokes that fall outside the bounding box or do not meet the grouping criteria, ensuring only relevant strokes are included in the final group. This approach improves the accuracy of ink stroke recognition and grouping in collaborative or multi-user digital environments.
8. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon an ink presence feature of a content creation application that when executed by a computing device, directs the computing device to: receive a user identifier for each user of a plurality of users participating in a collaboration session with a shared inking canvas; communicate with a directory service to obtain user information corresponding to each user identifier of the plurality of users; receive a new ink stroke to the shared inking canvas from a particular user of the plurality of users; determine a location in the shared inking canvas for displaying a presence indicator; and display the presence indicator at the location; wherein the presence indicator remains at the location until an ink point is received that is further than a threshold distance from the location.
This invention relates to collaborative digital inking systems, specifically improving user presence awareness in shared inking environments. The problem addressed is the lack of clear visual feedback indicating where collaborators are actively working on a shared digital canvas, which can lead to confusion or accidental overwriting of others' work. The system involves a content creation application that tracks and displays user presence indicators on a shared inking canvas during a collaboration session. Each user is identified by a unique user identifier, and the application retrieves corresponding user information from a directory service. When a user adds a new ink stroke to the canvas, the system determines an optimal location to display a presence indicator for that user. This indicator remains fixed at that location until the user's next ink stroke is detected at a distance exceeding a predefined threshold from the current indicator position. The presence indicators help collaborators visually track where others are actively working, reducing interference and improving coordination. The system dynamically updates these indicators in real-time as users contribute to the shared canvas, enhancing the collaborative experience.
9. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the presence indicator comprises at least one element of the user information for the particular user.
This invention relates to a system for managing user presence information in a communication network. The problem addressed is the need to efficiently and accurately convey user availability status to other users in a networked environment, such as instant messaging or collaboration platforms. The invention involves a computer-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed, perform operations to determine and display a presence indicator for a user. The presence indicator includes at least one element of the user's information, such as their name, status, or activity level, to provide context about their availability. The system dynamically updates this indicator based on real-time data, such as user activity or manual input, ensuring that other users receive accurate and relevant presence information. The invention also includes mechanisms to customize the display of presence indicators, allowing users to control how their availability is communicated. This improves user experience by reducing ambiguity in communication and enhancing collaboration efficiency. The system may integrate with existing communication platforms to provide seamless presence management across multiple applications.
10. The medium of claim 9 , wherein the at least one element of the user information for the particular user comprises an image associated with the user identifier for the particular user.
This invention relates to a system for managing and displaying user information in a digital environment, particularly addressing the challenge of efficiently associating and retrieving user-specific data, such as images, in a structured and accessible manner. The system involves storing user information in a database, where each user is identified by a unique user identifier. The user information includes at least one element, such as an image, that is linked to the user identifier. This image may be a profile picture, avatar, or other visual representation associated with the user. The system allows for the retrieval and display of this image when the user identifier is accessed, ensuring that the correct visual representation is presented in applications or interfaces where user information is needed. The invention also includes methods for updating or modifying the image associated with a user identifier, ensuring that the displayed information remains current. The system is designed to integrate with various digital platforms, such as social networks, enterprise applications, or communication tools, where user identification and visualization are critical. By linking images directly to user identifiers, the system enhances user recognition and personalization in digital interactions.
11. The medium of claim 8 , wherein to determine the location in the shared inking canvas for displaying the presence indicator, the ink presence feature directs the computing device to: identify coordinates within the shared inking canvas that are a predetermined distance from a first ink point of the new ink stroke.
This invention relates to collaborative digital inking systems, specifically improving user awareness in shared inking environments. The problem addressed is the lack of visual feedback indicating where new ink strokes are being added in real-time, which can lead to confusion or overwriting in collaborative settings. The system includes a shared inking canvas accessible by multiple users, where each user's ink strokes are displayed in real-time. A presence indicator is used to show where a new ink stroke is being added by another user. The presence indicator is positioned based on the location of the new ink stroke within the canvas. To determine this location, the system identifies coordinates within the shared inking canvas that are a predetermined distance from a first ink point of the new ink stroke. This ensures the presence indicator is placed near the active inking area, providing clear visual feedback to other users about where new content is being added. The system may also include features to adjust the presence indicator's appearance or behavior based on user preferences or system settings. The overall goal is to enhance collaboration by making the inking process more transparent and intuitive for all participants.
12. The medium of claim 8 , wherein the ink presence feature further directs the computing device to: identify a group of ink strokes in the shared inking canvas that are associated with the particular user and that satisfy a criterion of a grouping of the ink strokes; and assign a presence identifier to the group of ink strokes.
This invention relates to digital inking systems, specifically improving user presence tracking in collaborative inking environments. The problem addressed is the lack of clear visual indicators for identifying which ink strokes belong to which user in shared digital canvases, making collaboration less intuitive. The system enhances a shared inking canvas by tracking and visually distinguishing ink strokes based on user presence. When a user interacts with the canvas, the system identifies groups of ink strokes associated with that user that meet specific grouping criteria, such as proximity, timing, or stylistic consistency. These grouped strokes are then assigned a unique presence identifier, which can be a color, pattern, or other visual marker, making it immediately clear which strokes belong to which user. This improves collaboration by reducing ambiguity and enhancing visual organization in shared digital workspaces. The system dynamically updates these identifiers as new strokes are added, ensuring real-time accuracy. The grouping criteria can be adjusted based on user preferences or collaboration context, allowing for flexible adaptation to different workflows. This solution is particularly useful in educational, design, or professional settings where multiple users contribute to a single digital document or whiteboard.
13. The medium of claim 12 , wherein to identify the group of ink strokes associated with the particular user that satisfy the criterion of the grouping of the ink strokes, the ink presence feature directs the computing device to: use an ink analysis to identify letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or drawings from the ink strokes.
The invention relates to digital ink processing systems that analyze and group ink strokes based on user-specific criteria. The technology addresses the challenge of accurately identifying and organizing handwritten or drawn content from multiple users in a shared digital workspace. Traditional systems often struggle to distinguish between different users' contributions or to meaningfully categorize ink strokes, leading to disorganized or misattributed content. The system processes ink strokes by applying an ink analysis to extract meaningful elements such as letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or drawings. This analysis helps group ink strokes into coherent units associated with a particular user, improving content organization and retrieval. The ink presence feature directs a computing device to perform this analysis, ensuring that the grouped ink strokes meet predefined grouping criteria. By identifying structured elements like text or drawings, the system enhances the accuracy of user-specific ink stroke grouping, making it easier to track and manage contributions in collaborative environments. This approach improves the usability of digital ink applications by providing clearer, more structured representations of handwritten or drawn content.
14. The medium of claim 12 , wherein to identify the group of ink strokes associated with the particular user that satisfy the criterion of the grouping of the ink strokes, the ink presence feature directs the computing device to: identify a bounding box of the group of ink strokes.
The invention relates to digital ink processing, specifically methods for grouping ink strokes based on user identity and spatial proximity. The problem addressed is the difficulty in accurately associating ink strokes with specific users in collaborative digital environments, where multiple users may contribute to a shared canvas. Existing systems often struggle to distinguish between overlapping or closely spaced strokes from different users, leading to errors in attribution and organization. The invention provides a solution by analyzing ink presence features to group strokes based on user identity and spatial relationships. A computing device processes ink strokes from multiple users, identifying groups of strokes that satisfy predefined grouping criteria. For each identified group, the system determines a bounding box that encloses the strokes, which helps in visually and logically separating contributions from different users. The bounding box calculation ensures that strokes from the same user are grouped together while excluding strokes from other users, even if they are spatially close. This improves the accuracy of user-specific ink stroke attribution in collaborative digital inking applications. The method enhances user experience by maintaining clear separation of contributions in shared digital workspaces.
15. The medium of claim 12 , wherein the ink presence feature further directs the computing device to: receive a subsequent ink stroke to the shared inking canvas from the particular user; determine whether the subsequent ink stroke is within a certain distance the group of ink strokes; when the subsequent ink stroke is not within the certain distance from the group of ink strokes, assign a new presence identifier the new ink stroke in the shared inking canvas, determine a new location in the shared inking canvas for displaying a new presence indicator, and display the new presence indicator at the new location; and when the subsequent ink stroke is within the certain distance from the group of ink strokes, change the location for the presence indicator according to a distance of the subsequent ink stroke from the location for the presence indicator.
This invention relates to digital inking systems that enable multiple users to collaborate in real-time on a shared inking canvas. The problem addressed is the lack of clear visual feedback for user presence and activity in collaborative inking environments, which can lead to confusion about who is contributing and where they are working. The system includes a computing device that detects ink strokes from multiple users on a shared digital canvas. When a user begins inking, the system assigns a unique presence identifier to their strokes and displays a presence indicator near their inking location. The presence indicator visually represents the user's activity, such as their name or avatar, and updates dynamically as they continue to draw. If a user adds a new ink stroke that is not near their existing strokes, the system assigns a new presence identifier to that stroke and places a new presence indicator at the new location. If the new stroke is near their existing strokes, the system adjusts the position of the existing presence indicator based on the distance of the new stroke from the original indicator. This ensures that presence indicators remain close to the user's active inking area, reducing visual clutter while maintaining clear attribution. The system dynamically updates presence indicators in real-time, providing clear visual feedback about which user is contributing to which part of the canvas, improving collaboration and reducing confusion in shared digital inking environments.
16. A system comprising: one or more hardware processors; one or more storage media; a communication interface; a display; and a collaboration-enabled content creation application stored on at least one of the one or more storage media, that when executed by the one or more hardware processors direct the system to at least: receive, via the communication interface, a user identifier for each user of a plurality of users participating in a collaboration session with a shared inking canvas; communicate with a directory service, via the communication interface, to obtain user information corresponding to each user identifier of the plurality of users; identify a grouping of ink strokes in the shared inking canvas that are associated with a particular user of the plurality of users and that satisfy a criterion for the grouping; assign a presence identifier to the grouping of ink strokes; receive, via the communication interface, a new ink stroke to the shared inking canvas from the particular user; determine whether the new ink stroke is within a certain distance from previous ink strokes associated with the presence identifier; when the new ink stroke is not within the certain distance from the previous ink strokes, assign a new presence identifier the new ink stroke in the shared inking canvas, determine a location in the shared inking canvas for displaying a presence indicator, and display, via the display, the presence indicator at the location; and when the new ink stroke is within the certain distance from the previous ink strokes, change an existing location for a corresponding presence indicator according to a distance of the new ink stroke from the existing location for the corresponding presence indicator.
The system involves a collaborative digital inking environment where multiple users contribute to a shared canvas. The problem addressed is tracking and visually representing individual user contributions in real-time during collaborative sessions, ensuring clarity and organization of ink strokes from different participants. The system includes hardware processors, storage media, a communication interface, a display, and a collaboration-enabled content creation application. The application receives user identifiers for participants, retrieves user information from a directory service, and groups ink strokes by user based on predefined criteria. Each grouping is assigned a presence identifier. When a new ink stroke is added, the system checks its proximity to existing strokes associated with the same presence identifier. If the stroke is too far from previous strokes, a new presence identifier is assigned, and a presence indicator is displayed at a calculated location. If the stroke is within a certain distance, the existing presence indicator is updated to reflect the new stroke's position. This ensures dynamic, real-time visualization of user contributions, enhancing collaboration by clearly distinguishing individual inputs.
17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the presence indicator comprises at least one element of the user information for the particular user.
A system for managing user presence information in a communication network addresses the challenge of efficiently tracking and displaying user availability status. The system includes a presence server that collects and stores user information, such as status updates, device activity, and location data, from multiple sources. This data is processed to generate a presence indicator, which reflects the user's current availability for communication. The presence indicator is then transmitted to authorized devices or applications, allowing other users to view the status in real-time. The presence indicator may include specific elements of the user's information, such as their current status (e.g., "available," "busy," or "offline"), device activity (e.g., active calls or messages), or location data (e.g., "in office" or "remote"). This ensures that the displayed information is relevant and up-to-date. The system dynamically updates the presence indicator as new data is received, providing accurate and timely availability information to other users. The integration of multiple data sources enhances the reliability and granularity of the presence information, improving communication efficiency in collaborative environments.
18. The system of claim 16 , wherein to determine the location in the shared inking canvas for displaying the presence indicator, the collaboration-enabled content creation application directs the system to: identify coordinates within the shared inking canvas that are a predetermined distance from a first ink point of the new ink stroke.
A system for collaborative content creation enables multiple users to work simultaneously on a shared digital canvas, such as a whiteboard or drawing tool. The system includes a presence indicator that visually represents the real-time activity of other users, helping participants track where others are actively contributing. The presence indicator is dynamically positioned based on the location of new ink strokes added by users. When a new ink stroke is detected, the system identifies coordinates within the shared canvas that are a predetermined distance from the first point of the ink stroke. These coordinates serve as the reference location for displaying the presence indicator, ensuring it appears near the active editing area. This positioning helps users quickly identify where others are working, improving collaboration efficiency. The system may also include features for managing user permissions, synchronizing content updates, and displaying user identities alongside their presence indicators. The solution addresses challenges in remote collaboration by providing clear visual feedback on co-participant activity, reducing confusion and enhancing teamwork in shared digital workspaces.
19. The system of claim 16 , wherein to identify the grouping of ink strokes, the collaboration-enabled content creation application directs the system to: use an ink analysis to identify letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or drawings from the ink strokes.
The system relates to a collaboration-enabled content creation application that processes ink strokes from multiple users in real-time. The problem addressed is the difficulty of organizing and interpreting handwritten or drawn content in collaborative digital environments, where multiple users contribute simultaneously. The system analyzes ink strokes to identify structured elements such as letters, words, sentences, paragraphs, or drawings, enabling better organization and collaboration. The ink analysis involves recognizing patterns and groupings within the strokes to distinguish between different types of content, such as text versus drawings. This allows the system to categorize and display the content in a meaningful way, improving usability in collaborative settings. The system may also support features like real-time synchronization, conflict resolution, and user-specific annotations to enhance the collaborative experience. By automatically identifying and grouping ink strokes, the system reduces manual effort and improves the efficiency of collaborative content creation.
20. The system of claim 16 , wherein to identify the grouping of ink strokes, the collaboration-enabled content creation application directs the system to: identify a bounding box of the grouping of ink strokes.
The system relates to digital ink stroke processing in collaboration-enabled content creation applications, addressing the challenge of accurately grouping and managing handwritten or drawn strokes in real-time collaborative environments. The system identifies and processes groupings of ink strokes by determining a bounding box that encloses the strokes, enabling precise selection, manipulation, and synchronization of ink data across multiple users. The bounding box calculation ensures that all relevant strokes are included within a defined area, facilitating operations such as selection, deletion, or transformation of the grouped strokes. This functionality is particularly useful in collaborative applications where multiple users may simultaneously contribute to a shared canvas, requiring accurate stroke grouping to maintain consistency and avoid conflicts. The system dynamically adjusts the bounding box as new strokes are added or existing strokes are modified, ensuring real-time accuracy. This approach enhances collaboration by providing a structured way to manage ink data, improving user experience and reducing errors in multi-user editing scenarios. The technology is applicable in digital whiteboards, note-taking apps, and other collaborative drawing or annotation tools.
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December 1, 2020
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